by Robert Kemper

Created on: April 22, 2009

When I was growing up I was blessed with two great parents, lots of close friends, and for the most part I had a very normal childhood. I first got the desire to write from my mother. She was very artistic. She had given up a chance to goto Julliard for dance to marry my father and stay in our sleepy little town and raise a family. She encouraged me in everything from sports to writing to drawing. I have to admit I was pretty good at all of them. You might be asking yourself why I would do an article on healing through writing.

For a long time I concentrated on my sports and not a lot on my drawing and writing. Towards the end of my Junior year in high school I fell into a deep depression. I went from A's and B's to failing 5 out of 6 classes. I was skipping school, I had pulled away from my family and friends and yes had many thoughts of suicide. My mom decided to take me to the family doctor. The doctor told us that I was a classic case of clinical depression and prescribed antidepressants. I went home and took the pills for about two weeks then decided it was not the treatment I needed. For the first time in years I grabbed a notebook and started writing. I wrote basic things like a daily journal or sometimes even a poem. The stuff I really enjoyed writing were short stories. As the days and months went by I started feeling better both mentally and emotionally. I was tested again at the beginning of my senior year.

I arrived at the football field for the first day of practice and was informed because of my poor grades at the end of my junior year that I would not be allowed to play the sport I loved. Needless to say I was devistated. I felt the black cloud coming back into my head, the depression was eating away at me once again. After a few sleepless nights instead of grabbing the pills I reached for my notebook. I started writing about all the emotions that were running through my 17 year old mind. Once again the power of the pen started pulling me back to a much happier place.

Now I am 34 years old and as most people I have had my share of trying times. I have lost many loved ones, went through a divorce, lost jobs, etc. Of course I have had many triumphs also like my two beautiful children. Depression is something that you live with all the time. I'm not a doctor so I can't say why some people get the blues and some become depressed. The one thing I do know is for me writing does not only have healing powers but I'm sure it has actually saved me many times. Now as I sit in front of my computer hoping to increase my skills enough to someday get paid for something I love to do, I think back to my youth and I am amazed at the effect that writing not only has on the readers but also the authors. So I guess all I can say is the next time you are feeling down or life throws you a curve ball, grab a pen and start writing, then you can find out for yourself if it is possible to heal through writing.

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